Cloth roll carrier and loading actuator

ABSTRACT

A ROLL LOADING ACTUATOR INCLUDING A CLOTH ROLL LOADING UNIT HAVING MEANS FOR DISCHARGING A ROLL FROM THE UNIT UPON ACTUATION OF A SIGNAL, A ROLL CARRIER MOVEABLE TOWARD AND AWAY FROM THE LOADING UNIT HAVING AN ACTUATOR ADAPTED TO ACTUATE THE SIGNAL MEANS FOR DISCHARGING A LOAD FROM THE LOADING UNIT UPON THE ROLL CARRIER, AND MEANS FOR DEENERGIZING THE SIGNAL ACTUATOR AS LONG AS A CLOTH ROLL IS IN POSITION ON THE ROLL CARRIER.

March 2, 1971 T. w. MARTIN, SR

CLOTH ROLL CARRIER AND LOADING ACTUATOR 4 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed June 10,1969 INVENTOR: 77mm; WMmmgJe BY v 2441 7221 1% firmew March 1971 T. w.MARTIN, SR

CLOTH ROLL CARRIER AND LOADING ACTUATOR 4 Sheets-Sheet 3 Filed June 10,1969 March 2, 1971 w, -rm, 5 3,567,211

7 CLOTH ROLL CARRI ER AND LOADING ACTUATOR Filed June 10, 1969 4Sheets-Sheet 5 60 INVENTOR.

77/0 fish! xiv/n4 J19. F9 M March 2,1911 AR SR 3,561,211

CLOTH ROLL CARRIER AND LOADING ACTUATOR Filed June 10, 1969 4SheetsSheet 4 [7 INVENTOR. a8 89 77/0/1993 WM/YKT/MAVR' firrombs/ UnitedStates Patent ()ffice Patented Mar. 2, 1971 3,567,211 CLOTH ROLL CARRIERAND LOADING ACTUATOR Thomas W. Martin, Sr., Nashville, Tenn., assignorto Cutters Machine Company, Inc., Nashville, Tenn. Filed June 10, 1969,Ser. No. 831,872 Int. Cl. B65h 29/46 US. Cl. 270-31 9 Claims ABSTRACT OFTHE DISCLOSURE A roll loading actuator including a cloth roll loadingunit having means for discharging a roll from the unit upon actuation ofa signal, a roll carrier moveable toward and away from the loading unithaving an actuator adapted to actuate the signal means for discharging aload from the loading unit upon the roll carrier, and means fordeenergizing the signal actuator as long as a cloth roll is in positionon the roll carrier.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION This invention relates to a roll loadingactuator, and more particularly to a cloth roll carrier having means foractuating a signal to require a roll loading apparatus to discharge aroll upon the carrier when needed. This actuator is particularly adaptedfor use in connection with reciprocally moving cloth spreading machines.

In the art of spreading cloth from a roll, the cloth spreading machineis provided with a support for one roll of cloth in operative positionfor spreading. After the spreading operation has exhausted each roll,the machine must be stopped, and another roll of cloth is mounted uponthe roll support. The cloth from the roll is then threaded through thevarious guide rollers and bars and through the spreading elements, suchas the fold or tuck blades. Usually, the rolls are manipulated by hand,but Where excessively large rolls, or rolls of heavy web material, areused, hoisting machinery must be employed. Regardless of the size orweight of the roll, or the various operations for mounting the rolls onthe machine, considerable time is lost in the loading operation.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 'It is an object of this invention to provide aroll loading apparatus, and particularly an actuator for an apparatus toload a roll of cloth upon a cloth spreading mcahine.

This invention contemplates an actuator device carried by a cloth rollcarrier, such as a cl th spreading machine, which is in a position, whenthe roll carrier is empty, to actuate a signal means on a cloth rollloading unit when the carrier is in a loading station adjacent theloading unit. The loading unit may be of any design, so long as it iscapable of discharging a cloth roll upon the roll carrier, whenenergized by a signal mechanism, which in turn is actuated by theactuator device. The actuator device of this invention is adapted to bemoved into an inoperative position, upon response to a tripping deviceengaged by a cloth roll supported on the cloth roll carrier, so that norolls will be loaded upon the carrier, even in the loading station,unless the carrier is empty.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG. 1 is a side elevation of a clothspreading machine incorporating an actuator made in accordance with thisinvention, a cloth roll loading unit, and a roll storage truck shownfragmentarily in phantom;

FIG. 2 is a fragmentary top plan view of the cloth spreading machine,actuator and loading unit disclosed in FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is an enlarged elevation of the opposite side of FIG. 1 of theloading unit and spreading machine, shown fragmentarily, with partsbroken away;

FIG. 4 is an enlarged fragmentary section taken along the line 4-4 ofFIG. 3;

FIG. 5 is an enlarged fragmentary section taken along the line 55 ofFIG. 2, disclosing the actuator in opera tive position, and disclosingthe loading unit in solidline position preparatory to loading, and inphantom position for loading;

FIG. 6 is an enlarged fragmentary section taken along the line 66 ofFIG. 2, showing the roll bed supporting a cloth roll, and the actuatorin inoperative position;

FIG. 7 is an enlarged section taken along the line 77 of 'FIG. 5,disclosing the photoelectric signal head, and the reflective actuatorarm in operative solid-line posi tion, and in inoperative phantomposition;

FIG. 8 is a fragmentary plan view of the roll supporting bed of 'FIG. 6,disclosing the treadle and detent arm in locked inoperative positions;

FIG. 9 is an enlarged fragmentary sectional elevation, similarg to FIG.6, showing the actuator arm and treadle in solid line inoperativepositions, and showing the treadle in operative phantom position; and

FIG. 10 is an enlarged fragmentary section taken along the line 1010 ofFIG. 8, disclosing a detent arm in inoperative solid-line position andin an operative phantom position.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT Referring now to the drawings inmore detail, FIG. 1 discloses a cloth spreading machine mounted forreciprocal movement upon a spreading table 21, a cloth roll loading unit22, and a roll storage truck 23, disclosed in phantom.

Very briefly, the loading unit 22 includes a platform member 25,vertically reciprocable upon a frame 26, and having an inclined platformsurface 27, for carrying a cloth roll 28. Vertical barrier posts 29cooperate with the vertically moveable platform surface 27 to hold theroll 28 upon the platform member 25 until the lower end portion of theplatform surface 27 is substantially flush with the top of the barrierposts 29, such as disclosed in phantom in FIG. 5. In this position, theroll 28 is automatically discharged by gravity over the ends of thebarrier posts 29. The loading unit 22 is provided with a reversibleelectric motor 30 which is automatically energized by various controlsfor not only elevating and discharging the roll 28 from the loading unit22, but also for removing one roll 31, or 32, at a time from the storagetruck 23, by pivotal fingers 33, as previously described in the aboveco-pending application.

The cloth spreading machine 20 includes a mobile frame supported bywheels 36, for movement longitudinally of spreading table 21. Aprincipal roll support 37, including driven cloth feed rollers 38,supports a cloth supply roll for unwinding of the cloth web 41. The web41 is threaded through various guiding elements, top roller 42, and thenthrough the spreading unit or mechanism 43, for laying the cloth web 41in layers 44 upon table 21.

The frame 35 carries an electric motor 45 connected through varioustransmissions and controls for moving the mobile frame 35 in forward andreverse directions, and also for driving the cloth feed rolls 38.

The details of the above cloth spreading machine 20 form no part of thisinvention.

Supported upon the rear end of the mobile frame 35 is an auxiliary clothroll support, or bed plate 47.

As disclosed in FIGS. l-3, 5 and 9, the cloth spreading machine is shownadjacent one end of the spreading table 21 at a loading station adjacentthe loading unit 22. The mobile frame is provided with a stop 49,including an electrical switch, engaging a stop arm secured to the rearcatcher mechanism 51 mounted upon the spreading table 21 and adapted tocooperate with the spreader unit 43 to form folds in the layers of cloth44 at the rear end of the table 21. These elements are shown in phantomin FIG. 1, and are well known in the art.

In the loading position or station, the cloth bed 47 will receive acloth roll 28 discharged from the loading unit 22.

The roll bed 47 carries an actuator device 53, which, when the roll bed47 is empty and the spreading machine 22 is in the loading station, willactuate a signal device or head 54. The signal head 54 includes anormally open starting switch not shown, which, when closed, willenergize the motor 30 to elevate the platform 25 and discharge the roll28 from the loading unit 22 upon the bed plate 47.

In its particular form disclosed in the drawings, the starting switch inthe signal head 54 is controlled by a photoelectric sensing means. Thissensing means is best disclosed in FIG. 7, and includes a light source55 and a photoelectric cell 56. When the incident light rays 57 from thelight source 55 are intercepted by a reflective surface, such as thereflective surface of an actuator flag 58, the reflected rays 59 arereceived by the photo cell 56 to energize and close the starting switch,which is connected through electrical conduit 60 to the motor 30.

The signal actuator 53 includes an elongated shaft 62, mountedtransversly in the bearings 63 for rotary movement beneath the bed plate47. Fixed to the remote end of the rotary shaft 62 is the actuator arm64 supporting the reflective flag 58 in such a manner, that, when theactuator arm 64 is in its operative position, and the spreading machine20 is in its loading station, the reflective flag 58 will intercept thelight rays 57 from the light source 55 and causes the reflected rays 59to enter a photoelectric cell 56, as disclosed in FIG. 7.

Pivotally mounted on a hinge pin 65 to pivot about a transverse axis andextend longitudinally over the rotary shaft 62 is an elongated treadle66. The treadle 66 is adapted to rest within a slot or recess 67 in thebed plate 47 and upon a retainer bar 68, substantially co-planar withthe bed plate 47, in inoperative position.

Fixed to the rotary shaft 62 and in vertical alignment beneath treadle66 is a treadle actuating, hook-shaped,

detent fingers 69. The detent finger 69 is so positioned upon the rotaryshaft 62 that when the actuator arm 64 is in its lower operativeposition for actuating the signal head 54, the detent finger 69 is inits raised position for engaging and elevating the treadle 66, asdisclosed in solid-lines in FIGS. 1 and 5, and in phantom in FIG. 9. Theactuator arm 64, detent finger 69 and treadle 66 are normally maintainedin their operative positions by virtue of the counter-weight effect ofthe actuator arm 64 and signal flag 58. However, when the treadle 66 isdepressed, as by the weight of a roll 28, as disclosed in FIGS. 3 and 6,the treadle 66 will be depressed to its inoperative position flush withthe bed plate 47, thus depressing the detent finger 69, automaticallyelevating the actuator arm 64 and signal flag 58, to their positionsdisclosed in FIGS. 6 and 9.

It will thus be seen that when a roll 28 is resting upon the bed plate47 and depressing the treadle 66, there will be no demand for anyadditional rolls on the bed plate 47. Accordingly, no demand will bemade, since the actuator signal flag 58 will be in its raisedinoperative position, disclosed in phantom in FIG. 7, so that it willnot intercept any light rays 57 from the light source 55. Consequently,the starting switch in the signal head 54 will not be energized, eventhough the spreading machine 20 is in the loading station.

In the particular embodiment of this invention, the spreading machine 20is designed to stop in the loading station when the stop member 49 onthe machine frame 35 engages the stop arm 50 on the cutting mechanism51, and when the bed plate 47 is empty.

In order to re-start the machine 20 after a roll 28 is discharged uponthe bed plate 47, a switch arm 70 is fixed upon the rotary transverseshaft 62 to successively engage and energize the starting switch 71 andthe motion holding switch 72 mounted in switchbox 73 on the bottom ofand adjacent the remote end of the bed plate 47. The switches 71 and 72are connected through the leads 74 and 75 to the electrical motor 45which controls the motion of the spreading frame 35.

Thus, when a cloth roll 28 is deposited upon the bed plate 47 to depressthe treadle 66, the switch arm 70 is raised from its phantom position,disclosed in FIG. 9, to first momentarily close the starting switch 71.The closed switch 71 automatically energizes the motor 45 to start theframe 35 in its forward motion away from the loading unit 22. As the arm7 0 continues to move past the starting switch 71, the arm 70 engagesthe motion holding switch 72, so that the frame 35 will continue itsreciprocating motion, back and forth along the table 21, as long as theswitch arm 70 engages the motion holding switch 72.

In order to prevent a cloth roll 28 supported upon the bed plate 47 frominadvertently rolling forward upon the spreading machine 20, one or moredetent arms, such as the detent arms 77 and 78, are fixed upon anelongated shaft 79 to normally project upward through longitudinal slots80 and 81 respectively, in the bed plate 47. The detent shaft 79 ismounted in bearings 82 for both rotary and axial movements transverselyof the machine 20. The proximate end of the shaft 79 is provided with aknob or 5 hand wheel 83 for manual manipulation. Each slot 80 and 81 isat least as long as the corresponding detent arm 77 and 78 to permitrotary movement of the detent arms 77 and 78 to positions below the bedplate 47, is disclosed in FIG. 10. Surrounding the shaft 79 is a coiledspring 85 rotatably biasing the shaft 79 to a position projecting thedetent arms 77 and 78 upright through their corresponding slots 80 and81. As disclosed in FIG. 8, after the detent arm 77 is rotated downthrough the slot 80, the hand wheel 83 may be thrust toward the remoteend of the machine, as disclosed by the arrow in FIG. 8, to move thedetent arm 77 beneath the bed plate 47 and out of registry with itscorresponding slot 80. In this manner, the detent arm 77 is retained inits lower inoperative position. The rotary movement of shaft 79 to lowerthe detent arms 77 and 78 may be limited by the squared limit block 87,disclosed in FIGS. 2 and 3 on the remote end of the shaft 79.

If desired, the treadle 66 may be locked in its lower inoperativeposition, even when the bed plate 47 is empty, by means of a dependenttongue 88 having locking aperture 89 projecting down from the front endof the treadle 66. Mounted beneath the bed plate 47 for transversereciprocal movement is a locking rod 90 in bearings 91. The remote endof the rod 90 is adapted to be projected through the locking aperture 89when the treadle 56 is depressed to the solid-line position of FIG. 9.However, normally, the locking rod 90 is biased by coil spring 92 out oflocking engagement with the locking aperture 89. As best disclosed inFIGS. 8 and 10, the locking rod 90 may be projected into lockingposition, when its proximate end is engaged by the detent arm 77, whenthe arm 77 has been thrust to its inoperative position out of registrywith its corresponding slot 80. In this manner, both the treadle 66 andthe detent arms 77 and 78 may be maintained locked in their inoperativepositions simultaneously by simple manipulating the hand wheel 83, whenthe treadle 66 is depressed.

The operation of the invention is fairly apparent from the abovedescription.

The loading unit 22, which is disclosed in FIGS. 1 and 3 as beingmounted upon wheels, is moved into a loading position, as illustrated inthe drawings, at the rear end of a spreading table 21. One or more clothrolls 28 may be deposited manually upon the platform member 25, or theloading unit 22 may be actuated to pick off rolls 31 and 32 from theloading truck 23, in a manner described in the above co-pendingapplication. In any event, after a roll 28 is deposited upon theplatform member 25, it is elevated to its initial operative positiondisclosed in FIG. 1 and in solid lines in FIG. 5, preparatory toloading.

During a normal spreading operation of the machine 20, an auxiliary rollwill be resting upon the bed plate 47 to depress the treadle 66, andwill also be resting against the detent arms 77 and 78 projected upwardin operative position. The spreader unit 43 will spread the layers ofcloth 44 as the web 41 is fed from the cloth supply roll 40 mounted uponthe principal roll support 37. After the supply roll 40 is exhausted,the machine 20 is stopped, and the hand wheel 83 is rotated to depressthe detent arms 77 and 78. The auxiliary roll is then rolled forwardfrom the bed plate 47 upon the principal roll support 37, and the clothis threaded, as previously, for spreading by the spreader device 43. Themachine 20 is re-started. However, when the frame 35 moves to its rearextreme position, that is the loading station, disclosed in FIGS. 1, 2,and 3, the signal flag 58, now lowered in operative position by virtueof their being no auxiliary roll to depress the treadle '66, willintercept the incident light beam 57, from the signal head 54.Energization of the signal head 54 closes the starting switch toenergize the motor 30 to elevate the platform member 25 to its loadingposition (FIGS. 3 and 5), permitting the cloth roll 28 to roll bygravity across the barrier posts 29 and upon the bed plate 47.

While the spreading machine 20 is in the loading station with thetreadle 66 raised, the machine 20 is automatically stopped by theactuation of the stop switch within the stop member 49 by the stop bar50. The stop switch and the stop member 49 dominate the electricalsystem within the spreading machine 20 because, when the treadle 66 israised, the switch arm 70 is disengaged from the motion holding switch72, which normally over-rides the stop switch in the stop member 49.

However, when the roll 28 is deposited upon the bed plate 47, thetreadle 66 is again depressed causing the switch arm 70 to momentarilyengage starting switch 71 to start the machine 20 forward, and then toengage the motion holding switch 72, which permits the machine 20 tocontinue its reciprocatory motion over the table 21 as long as thetreadle 66 is depressed by an auxiliary roll 28.

Since depression of the treadle 66 raises the signal flag 58 to aninoperative position, as disclosed in phantom in FIG. 7, it will nolonger energize the electrical signal head 54 as the machine 20 movesinto the loading station on each cycle of its spreading operation.Accordingly, the loading unit 22 will only be energized when the bedplate 47 is empty and there is a demand for another auxiliary roll.

When the platform member 25 reaches its upper loading or dischargeposition, it simultaneously engages a reversing switch 94, whichreverses the motor 30 to move the platform member 25 down to a lowerposition for receiving another cloth roll 28, or for actuating the pivotfingers 33 in order to receive another roll 31 or 32 from the storagetruck 23. Also, as described in the above copending application, theplatform member 25 is returned to its initial position disclosed in"FIG. 1, preparatory to depositing the next auxiliary cloth roll 28 uponthe bed plate 47.

This continuous and automatic loading and spreading operation may becontinued as long as desired, until no more cloth rolls are available,or until the spreading of the cloth layers 44 is completed.

What is claimed is:

1. A roll loading actuator comprising:

(a) a roll handling apparatus having roll discharging means thereon,signal means on said apparatus for discharging a roll from saidapparatus onto a roll carrier and spreader when said signal means isactuated,

(b) a horizontal reciprocal mobile cloth roll carrier and spreadermovable toward and away from a loading station adjacent said rollhandling apparatus,

(c) a signal actuator device mounted on said roll carrier and spreaderand so positioned as to selectively actuate said signal means on saidapparatus, when said roll carrier and spreader is in said loadingstation, and

(d) motive means for moving said roll carrier and spreader in a pathlongitudinally aligned with said roll handling apparatus.

2. The invention according claim 1 further comprising a roll supportingbed on said carrier and spreader for receiving a roll at said loadingstation, a tripping device engageable by a roll on said bed, meansconnecting said tripping device to said actuator device, so that when aroll engages said tripping device said actuator device is renderedinoperative to actuate said signal means.

3. The invention according to claim 2 in which said tripping devicecomprises a treadle movably mounted in said bed, said actuator devicecomprises a movable arm and said connecting means comprises a mechnicallinkage whereby said arm and said treadle are substantiallysimultaneously moved between operative and inoperative positions.

4. The invention according to claim 3 in which said mechanical linkagecomprises a rotary shaft mounted on said bed, said treadle beingoperatively connected to said shaft for pivotal movement between anoperative position raised above said bed and an inoperative positionsubstantially flush with said bed, and said actuator arm is operativelyconnected to said shaft for pivotal movement between an operativeposition for actuating said signal means at said loading station, and aninoperative position for de-actuating said signal means.

5. The invention according to claim 4 in which said signal meanscomprises a photoelectric cell and a light source, said actuator armcomprising a reflective surface for reflecting rays from said lightsource to said photoelectric cell, in operative postion at said loadingstation.

6. The invention according to claim 3 in which said motive means iselectrical, a starting switch for energizing said motive means, meansassociated with said treadle for actuating said starting switch toenergize said motive means.

7. The invention according to claim 3, further comprising one or moredetent arms, means movably mounting said detent arms in said bed on theopposite side of the normal position of said roll on said bed from saidloading apparatus, means biasing said detent arms in normal raisedposition to limit the movement of a roll on said bed away from saidloading apparatus, recesses in said bed for receiving said detent armsin inoperative position and means for moving said detent arm to saidinoperative position.

S. The invention according to claim 7 in which said bed comprises a bedplate, each of said recesses comprises a slot through said plate, andthe mounting means for said detent arms comprises a shaft mounted foraxial and rotary movements beneath said bed plate adjacent said slots,said detent arms being fixed to said shaft to extend upward through saidslots in operative position, said detent arms being beneath said slotsin inoperative position, means for shifting said shaft axially to move 7said detent arms in said inoperative position and beneath said bed plateout of registry with said slots to hold said detent arms in inoperativeposition.

9. The invention according to claim 8, further comprising a lockingaperture in said treadle depending beneath said bed plate in inoperativeposition, a locking rod mounted beneath said bed plate for axialmovement into and out of registry with said locking aperture, one ofsaid detent arms being rotated to engage one end of said rod and to movethe other end of said rod into said locking aperture when shifted intoits inoperative position beneath said bed plate, and spring meansbiasing said rod away from engagement with said locking aperture.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,949,481 3/1934 Koller 214 383,502,320 3/1970 Scordato 27031 FOREIGN PATENTS 158,669 4/1964 U.S.S.R.

GERALD M. FORLENZA, Primary Examiner 10 R. B. JOHNSON, AssistantExaminer US. Cl. X.R. 21416.4, 95

